pfluger



(No Model.) 2 Sheetg-Sheet 1.

F.H.PPLUGER. TANK.

No. 565,503.. Patented Aug. 11, 1896.

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(No Model.) 2 sheets sheet 2.

F. H. P'PLUGER.

TANK.

Patented Aug. 11, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC FRANK H. PFLUGER, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

TANK."

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,503, dated August11, 1896. I

Application filed December 17, 1895. Serial No. 572,443. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. PFLUGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tanks; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to tanks, and more particularly to that class oftanks employed in connection with windmills for storing the Water pumpedby the same.

The object is to provide a tank or vessel which shall be of suchconstruction as to prevent its shrinking when it becomes dry orpartially empty.

With this object in view the invention consists of certain features ofconstruction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fullydescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved tank. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on line a: 00, Fig. 1.Fig. 8 is a similar view on line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. @L is alongitudinalvertical sectional view, and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of oneof the staves.

In the drawings, 1 denotes the tank, which may be of any suitable orwell-known form. The tank is made up of a series of staves 2, which areprovided at their upper ends with transverse passages 3, and in theiredges with channels 4:, which communicate with the passages. Thesestaves are arranged in the usual and well-known manner and held in placeby the hoops 5.

6 denotes the water-pipe, which leads from the pump and supplies thetank with the water pumped by the windmill. This pipe has a branch 7,which extends down through the upper end of one of the staves andcommunicates with the annular passage formed by each passage of eachstave.

8 denotes the overflow-pipe, which communicates with the annular passageand is for the purpose of conducting any overflow from the annularpassages into the tank.

It will be seen that as water is pumped into the tank a portion of itwill flow into the annular chamber formed by the transverse passages inthe staves, and will, by its own weight, descend into the channelsformed in the edges of the staves, thus moistening them at their jointsor points of contact. This will effectively prevent the shrinkingorwarping of the staves during dry weather when the tank is empty, asthe water and moisture within the chamber and channels are inclosed andprotected from the action of the heat and sun. In the course of time thechannels may perhaps be clogged with sediment. To remove the sediment, Ihave provided the plugs 9, which fit into the lower ends of thechannels, and by removing these plugs and closing the end of thesupply-pipe the water from said supply-pipe will be forced down throughthe channels and will drive the sediment out at their lower ends.

Another feature of my invention relates to the hoops and the means forclamping the same to the tank. The hoops are of a greater circumferencethan the tank, and their ends are brought past each other and overlap,as shown. The portions of the hoops near each end are provided withperforated lugs 10, through which pass bolts 11, having nuts 12, byscrewing which the hoops are tightly bound around the cask.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages 0; myinvention will be readily understood. Although I have described thepresent invention in connection with a tank, I would have t itdistinctly understood that I do not wish to be restricted to itsapplication thereto, as other vessels, such, for instance, as tubs, maybe constructed with the water-chamber and channels leading therefrom tomoisten or swell the joints of the staves. Myinvention, therefore, maybe applicable to a large class of vessels.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Pat- 1. A vessel composed of staves having water-channels attheir joints, and transverse water-chambers near their upper ends inline and communicating with each other and with the water-channels,substantially as setforth.

2. A water-vessel composed of staves having water-channels at theirjoints and plugs closing the lower ends of the water-channels,substantially as set forth.

3. A vessel composed of staves having Water'channels at their joints, aWater-chamber communicating With said channels and formed in the stavesat their upper ends, and a snpply-pipe for furnishing the chamber withWater, substantially as set forth.

4. A stave for vessels having water-channels in its edges, and atransverse Water- IO chamber near its upper end, which c0mmunicates withsaid channels, substantially as set forth.

FRANK H. PFLUGER.

\Vitnesses:

C. F. PFLUGER, G. WINTER.

